Linda Brooks Davis's Blog, page 23

Let’s Chat! Author Karen Campbell Prough

Welcome, Readers! And welcome, Karen Prough!

I‘m delighted to introduce award-winning author Karen Campbell Prough. Karen writes southern historical fiction with threads of romance and mystery. Seven of her short stories have appeared in magazines, and she’s won awards for both short stories and novels.

*Karen’s offering a 3-ebook give-away. Join the conversation, and you’re entered. (Please let me know via the Contact form if you’re unable to comment. It could be the spam filter.)

Welcome, Karen Campbell Prough!

Tell us about yourself, Karen. Where were you reared? How did you come to be an author? What have you learned as a writer and do you have some tips for aspiring authors?

Karen’s Childhood
I spent the first years of my life on a farm in Cheboygan, Michigan, where my love of stories was born. Great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, and siblings told stories at the supper table, the highlight of the day. Sometimes, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived with us, which added to the mix. After supper, stories continued. Or older cousins read to us. I often could be found upstairs in the “junk” room, sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of a huge bookcase. 

I quickly outgrew storybooks and devoured adult books written by authors like James Oliver Curwood, Gene Stratton Porter, and Zane Grey. Their writing reflected my love of details.

When my father took a job as an illustrator at the Quarter Master Museum at Fort Lee, Virginia, we moved, leaving my grandparents’ farm, our newly-built country home, and many relatives. But the mountains of Virginia fueled my wild imagination. (Tweet That!) 

Karen Campbell Prough, Writer

College, marriage, and eventually a son and daughter curtailed my writing for a time, but I wrote at night and submitted short stories. Two were published, and one captured a first-place award.

Eventually I wrote a very long book about a girl named Ella Dessa in the mountains of Georgia. I poured my heart into it and sent out letters of inquiry. One agency kept it a whole year, said they loved it, but returned it.

My book was too long, so I divided it into two books and presented them at writer’s conferences. But I often was told my writing was too realistic for Christian romances. People die, life isn’t always wonderful, and harsh events turn the tables on characters.

Eva Marie Everson agreed to edit my book. She was great to work with, and she kept saying she loved my writing, but the years still tiptoed by. I grew discouraged, but I didn’t stop writing. I attended conferences and eventually signed a contact with Hartline Literary Agency. Linda Glaz agreed to be my editor.

That first book expanded into three books.
 The first, The Girl Called Ella Dessa, released in 2015, but it was years in the making. Now the following two books are published realities: Within the Candle’s Glow and With This Peace.

With the learning curve, editing, and chopping words from pages of text, it’s been a wild couple years. The striving to keep up with the schedule for publication can seem daunting.

Have I been a perfect writer for the agency or publishing house? No, probably not! I have to laugh as I type this. I think I have given them a bushel-basket-full of headaches.

Advice from Karen Campbell Prough

Don’t give up. Don’t let fear hold you back! Follow advice from editors or publishing houses. Don’t settle for the first publishing house to show interest. Check out what other writers say about them. Be ready to follow new suggestions about edits, book length, and word count. Have someone read your manuscript and compare their thoughts with other remarks before presenting to the publisher.

Write short stories. Check out magazines known for short stories and send them!

Write magazine articles. Get information on magazine articles. Write what is in your heart; don’t try to write someone else’s story.

Don’t let your hands drop into your lap. Even when discouraged, write what is in your heart and thoughts. Don’t copy someone. Put your voice in lines of type.

Adapt to changes in the publishing world. Find something new and acceptable to write about.

Attend writers’ conferences and ask questions.

Write to fulfill what is in your heart because the act of putting your words down on “paper” shows the world you are serious. It says you are a writer who is not going to throw away the oldest form of communication … the telling of stories. 

Where you can find Karen Campbell Prough

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2p9YWPI

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2pVix33

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2qQfitd

Twitter: @KCampbellPrough

Website: http://karencampbellprough.com

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Thank you for stopping by, Karen. The visit was just delightful. Please come again. We’ll be looking for your books in the meantime!

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Lord, the world You created declares Your goodness. Thank You for making us so that we can see and hear and smell Your creation–even through books. We pray Your blessings on Karen as she writes. May her stories–like Your creation–declare Your goodness.

~ For Jesus’ sake.

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Let’s Chat! Author Michelle Shocklee

Let’s Chat With Author Michelle Shocklee

Welcome, everyone! And welcome, Michelle Shocklee!

Michelle Shocklee joins our chat this week. I met Michelle in our local American Christian Fiction Writers group and knew right away I wanted you to meet this delightful author. She’s offering The Planter’s Daughter in ebook form to someone who joins the conversation. So grab a cup, gather ’round, and don’t forget to comment below.

Welcome, Michelle Shocklee

Thank you for joining us this week, Michelle. I’ve enjoyed very much getting to know you in our writers’ group and sharing common writing interests. I know others will also.

Michelle’s Before

I was born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, so I like to say I’m a Rocky Mountain girl at heart. (Tweet That!) I truly loved growing up in Santa Fe. Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, with four true seasons, but we lived outside the city limits. We played in miles of wilderness. I have three older brothers and an older sister, so our house was always noisy.

Daddy, an engineer with the highway department, decided shortly after he and Mom married in 1950 to build our adobe house himself. All throughout my growing up years, there was some type of construction going on. Several years after all of us kids were adults and had moved out, he finally finished our beautiful sprawling New Mexico style adobe home.



Both of my parents loved to read, so books have always been a huge part of my life. Not a birthday or Christmas went by without us kids receiving a book as a gift.

When it came time to head off to college, it never occurred to me to go into something that involved writing. Instead, I followed in my mother’s footsteps and studied Elementary Education. I met my wonderful husband in college, and we’ll celebrate our 30th anniversary this month! Our two amazing sons are grown and making their way in the world.

A few years ago we moved to the Texas Hill Country to become estate caretakers. We live and work on a gorgeous 400-acre ranch where we have sheep, llamas, and chickens. We feel incredibly blessed.

Michelle’s Debut

The Planter’s Daughter is my debut novel. It’s been an exciting journey, from the first inspirations for the story to my agent telling me I had not one but two contract offers! From the beginning, I was blessed with an editor who truly understood the story I wanted to tell. Her input and knowledge on all-things southern was invaluable. 
One of the things I was not quite prepared for was the vulnerability I felt when the book released. Even though I write a blog with readers from all over the world and have had numerous short stories and articles published, releasing The Planter’s Daughter was different.  I poured my heart into the book, writing about a time in our nation’s history that is not pleasant and can often be controversial. I’m very pleased that so many readers have enjoyed The Planter’s Daughter and some even say they learned a few things about Texas history and slavery. 


Michelle’s Next

After waiting so long for my first book to release, I’m excited that I won’t have to wait too long for the next one to be published. The second book in The Women of Rose Hill series releases in early 2018. It’s set five years after The Planter’s Daughter, right at the end of the Civil War. I’m also tickled to have a novella releasing in February 2018 in The Mail-Order Bride Collection with Barbour Publishing.

This journey taught me God has a plan and a timetable. Too many times I rushed ahead of him, only to have him remind me I need to wait on him. That is true in writing and in life. God’s plan is always best.

Readers, you can find Michelle and her books at the following links:

 Amazon        Goodreads        Facebook        Website       Twitter

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Lord, Your plans are perfect; yet we often try to improve them. How foolish. Thank You for Michelle and her commitment to Your plan. I pray You will bless The Planter’s Daughter and her other stories in unexpected and powerful ways. Keep us as writers and readers in the center of Your will. ~ For Jesus’ sake

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Let’s Chat! Author Janell B. Wojtowicz

Let’s Chat with Author Janell B. Wojtowicz!

Welcome, Janell Wojtowicz and Readers. I’m so glad you could join us. This week we’re visiting with author Janell B. Wojtowicz (For those of us without a clue as to how to pronounce Janell’s Polish name, it’s Why-tow-vitch). Grab a cup and a spot in our circle. Don’t forget to join the conversation below for a chance to win an ebook copy of Janell’s novel, Embracing Hope.

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Janell Wojtowicz: Life Before Writing

Born and raised on an Iowa farm, I’m an introverted farmer’s daughter who ended up in the extroverted big city. My dad farmed 360 acres and raised cattle and hogs. Mom was the stereotypical homemaker. My brother is pastor in a small Iowa town. I’m the exception to the family’s rural tradition.

My first venture into city life was to Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota, where I earned a B.S. in written communication/journalism emphasis. Returning to my Iowa roots, I worked the next 10 years as a reporter/editor in three rural community newspapers.

I married Frank, a Minneapolis guy (friend of the family), in 1993, and officially became a city slicker—a married version of Mary Tyler Moore. I worked in Northwestern’s PR department for 12 years, 16 months at a Christian inner-city nonprofit, and four years in public information for the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Since 2010, I’ve worked as a freelance writer and now an author.

How Janell Wojtowicz Began as an Author


Embracing Hope is my debut novel. It launched in November 2016. I never set out to write it. The idea and compulsion began in 2007 when I watched a BBC version of Jane Eyre. That night, I dreamed the beginning, pivotal middle scene and ending of my story, and began writing it the next day.

It took nine years of stops and starts before Embracing Hope was published. Life interrupted: job loss/search, family health issues and loss, downsizing and moving, and apathy when the publishing world was turned upside down by ebooks and Amazon. I pitched my novel to and was rejected by 10 agents before I stopped in 2010 when I lost my full-time job. Looking for a job and pitching a novel are too similar and I could tolerate only so much rejection. During those years, I worked on the manuscript and the sequels for pure enjoyment without the pressure of pitching.

Pivotal Moments for Janell Wojtowicz

In 2015, one of my best friends and writing mentor died of a massive heart attack. A few months later it was as if he whispered from heaven, “Janell, it’s time.” I got serious and decided to try again in his memory. I pursued small publishers because the competition for agents was stiff and I was an unknown first-timer. I pitched to three small publishers in early 2016: one was a flat out rejection. The second offered me a contract, which I signed in April 2016. I withdrew my pitch from a third one as a result. In August, the publisher closed its doors. My novel hadn’t progressed beyond the contract, so I wasn’t surprised. I gave up on traditional publishing and considered self-publishing—for about a week.

I posted a question on the LinkedIn Authors, Editors, Publishers and Bloggers group about resubmitting to the third publisher. All respondents said I had nothing to lose, so I did. A few days later I got an email from a group member offering his advice. A Christian entrepreneurial businessman, he had published a few books. Over the next weeks, we discussed the state of publishing and our goals. He and his wife read my manuscript, then he asked if he could publish it since he was starting a traditional Christian publishing company, Discern Products. Embracing Hope is the first fiction venture.

Lesson learned: Never underestimate LinkedIn connections!

A Debut for Janell

By the way, the third publisher contacted me a few days after I signed the contract asking to see my full manuscript. I felt so bad withdrawing it again, but she was understanding.

What’s been odd about my “dream come true” is I’ve never done the cartwheel, cheering, or bawling that I had looked forward to for years. I’ve had heart palpations, tummy trembles, and occasional utterances of “Weeeee!” My hands shook as I held the proof. (Tweet That!) When the first box of books arrived, I gasped then sighed in satisfaction and relief. 

And panic at the next hurdle: marketing the beast. Right now my publisher and I are focusing on getting Embracing Hope out to the masses.

What’s Next for Janell

There are two sequels in development. The story of the bad boy in Embracing Hope is 90 percent done. The second is 50 percent done. A fourth and fifth are twinkles in my eyes.

Some Insight From Janell

When I look back on it, I see God’s hand at work. Losing my full-time job and fruitless searching for a job disheartened me. However,  managing the family issues and publishing a book would have been impossible if I had a full-time job. And while I had asked God why I had to go through the pain of losing the first publisher, I see it was how God directed me to Discern Products.

As often as Romans 8:28 is tossed around, I’ve learned that “God works all things for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

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Readers, thank you for joining us. You can find Janell at the following:

Goodreads – http://bit.ly/2p7bsMw

Twitter – @janellwoj

Blog – http://janellwoj.wordpress.com

Author Facebook – www.Facebook.com/janellbwoj

And you can purchase her book at the following:

Amazon – http://amzn.to/2q4UXjf

Smashwords – http://bit.ly/2p77JP4

Barnes Noble Nook – http://bit.ly/2oBYm8g

Kobo – http://bit.ly/2pU5aQq

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Thank you, Janell Wojtowicz, for being the center of attention this week. Your journey and persistence are examples to us. God bless your every effort for Him. 

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Lord, You’re so kind to use faulty vessels like us to accomplish Your purposes. Bless Janell as she labors to convey Your Truth through story. ~ For Jesus’ sake

The post Let’s Chat! Author Janell B. Wojtowicz appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Kathleen Friesen

Welcome, Readers

This week we head north to Canada to visit with Kathleen Friesen.

Grab a cup. Gather ’round. And comment below. Kathleen’s offering two ebooks (Melody’s Song and Nila’s Hope).

Check back on the 25th to see who won!

Welcome, Kathleen

We’re so glad you joined us this week, Kathleen. A writer who hails from Canada has our undivided attention.

The Forensics of Faith (Sort of)

Forensics. Fingerprints. Forget feelings or faith. Follow the blood evidence. CSI fans can tell you all about it. 

So can Lee Strobel, the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who took a dare to prove Jesus a fake. In his best-selling book, The Case for Christ, Strobel chronicles his nine-year search all the way to the Holy Land and to the conclusions he reached based on the evidence. The movie, The Case for Christ, is profoundly significant on this week before Easter. (My copy is almost 20 years old!) 

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Which got me to thinking …

I chat weekly with fellow authors who’ve been called to write faith stories. But in light of the movie, The Case for Christ, and Holy Week, and–frankly–a Facebook post by niece, Sarah Brooks–I’m taking a detour to pursue a different, and yet similar, path–a trail of evidence somewhat like Strobel’s. I’m looking for faith evidence–the blood and fingerprints kind–in a case involving a 5-year-old child named Wilson Beckett Brooks.

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Beckett melts hearts with his unabashed enthusiasm for Jesus–in particular, capturing photographs of what he currently considers the most thrilling aspect of a Christian’s experience, baptism. (You must read his mother Sarah’s blog about it here.)

Frankly, his parents–Taylor and Sarah (Sparks) Brooks–have been dumbstruck by Beckett’s exuberance. So have the members of The Hills Church in North Richland Hills, Texas who witness Beckett’s ever-so-faithful snapping of his camera shutter beside the baptistry. (Check it out!) 

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Speaking of dumbstruck …

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Occasionally I endure a down day. (The picture above does NOT illustrate “down day,” by the way.) My natural tendency is to collapse inward and draw the drapes and crawl into bed and cover my head. But if I go to Sarah’s blog, Life as of Late, I’m dumbstruck to find the truth of Psalm 17:22a (A cheerful heart is good medicine) in a quirky kind of Technicolor. Sarah presents life in the Brooks household in all its realness and zaniness and joy (Check it out!), and tucked into the center is a gem of wisdom. You’re in for a treat here!

But I digress …

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Back to finding faith evidence to explain how 5-year-old Beckett fell so unabashedly in love with Jesus, I put on my CSI hat and discover he’s covered with his mom’s and dad’s fingerprints, but since I’m a Brooks, I’ll examine Taylor’s prints on the Brooks branch of Beckett’s family tree.

As a bit of a genealogy freak, I could go back ten or more generations, but I’ll begin with the first Brooks for whom I have a photograph: George Brooks, 1872-1936. Did this g-g-grandfather of Beckett’s leave fingerprints anywhere? Let’s see …

George Harmon Brooks

My grandfather, died before I was born, so I have secondhand knowledge alone, but it’s reliable–the testimony of my father, George’s son, and my mother, George’s daughter-in-law. To say the very least, George Brooks exuded enthusiasm for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He preached it through his gift of song. 

My mother, one of the congregants who “experienced” George Brooks firsthand, was mesmerized by his voice and his ability to draw folks into the song service. Not one to take no for an answer, Mr. Brooks folded his soft-sided song book into a roll and beat the rhythm on the palm of his other hand. Oh, George Brooks wasn’t content to stand at the front with a song book in one hand and the other raised, counting out the beats ever so methodically. No, he walked up and down the aisles as he sang and called on the silent ones to join in. “If you can talk, you can sing!” Mr. Brooks would declare, and he meant it. (Tweet That!) 

Think you can’t sing? Let George Brooks take you aside, and you’ll learn real quick that you can. Think you can’t stand at the front and lead a song? Let George Brooks get a hold of you, and you’ll change your tune. (Excuse the pun!) 

Yes-Sir-Eee-Bob! George Brooks left fingerprints–on his son, Wilson.

Wilson Freeman Brooks
[image error] George Brooks never advanced far beyond dirt poor.

I know Wilson Freeman Brooks‘s fingerprints firsthand. The greatest honor of my life–aside from God’s grafting me into His family tree–is calling Wilson Brooks “Daddy.”

Daddy was born the second son of George Brooks, a man who could get anybody to sing but couldn’t seem to make a decent living. Dirt-poor but faith-rich, they struggled on the Texas Panhandle, but the crucible of poverty produced Daddy, a great man by all accounts. 

A home and family of his own
Mother’s and Daddy’s first home.

Wilson Brooks and Goldie Banks married in 1935. He was earning $5 a week as a farm hand. They lived in little more than a shack Mother considered a palace since she was living in a barn when they married. Daddy taught his first Bible class when he was 21, and he never stopped. Matter of fact, he taught a class–from his wheelchair–just days before he died.

[image error]More reserved than his father, Daddy could lead the singing like nobody’s business, and folks joined in. A real treat was when he sang in a quartet, always the tenor part. And–oh–the precious memories he and Mother created in our family-and-friends circle, singing faith. (Click below to listen to our sibling acapella quartet using shaped notes at Mother’s funeral.) 

http://lindabrooksdavis.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/PreciousMemories_BrooksQuartet_1995.mp3

[image error]A fine physical specimen as a young man, Daddy developed his muscles not in a gym but by plain ol’ hard work. As a farmer he knew his work never really ended. There was always something that needed doing. But nothing got in the way of church–not a cotton crop or even a flood so severe he had to put his family into a farm trailer and pull it by tractor over the water-covered dirt road. Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, and every night of Gospel meetings, Daddy showed up with his family, Bible in hand, ready to [image error]teach a class, lead a song, or even take the preacher’s place in the pulpit. I couldn’t count the times he–rather than the preacher–was called on to counsel someone, to lead a sinner to Christ, or to understand some theological or doctrinal point of Scripture. 

Fingerprints of a Father

I still see the golden glow of the ceiling light over the kitchen table and Daddy sitting there with his Bible, sometimes alone, other times with his children or a friend, excavating God’s Truth. And at church, welcoming visitors and encouraging folks out front after the last Amen. 

Proud of his family? And devoted? No one surpassed Wilson Brooks. In love with God’s Truth? No one fell harder than Wilson Brooks. Oh yes. Wilson Brooks’s fingerprints are all over the place, but nowhere more clearly etched than on his son, Dale.

Wilson Dale Brooks

Dale was a late-in-life surprise for Mother and Daddy. With children ranging from 19 to 11, the birth of another son was almost more joy than Daddy could contain. I never shall forget how his face beamed with joy the day they told us a baby was coming. Dale was my baby doll. I dressed him up and rocked him and fed him and even tended him when he came down with chickenpox. 

Unlike his three siblings, Dale never knew Daddy as a man with physical strength. You see, our father was stricken by an undiagnosable muscle malady similar to ALS when Dale was a preschooler. As the rest of us headed off to college and married life, Dale grew up chair side and bedside by Daddy, talking with him, helping dress and feed him, and driving around “the fields” to check on the crops.

[image error] Fingerprints back home

With a father confined to home and then burying him when he was 14, Dale never enjoyed Daddy’s wholehearted pride and joy over his high school athletic and academic successes. He never knew what his brothers and I experienced–a father who chaperoned events, traveled on buses with them, and applauded their extraordinary accomplishments–but he did benefit from the best of Wilson Brooks–his love and enthusiasm for the Truth of God and Jesus, God’s Son, even in the worst of his physical trials.

[image error]Emerging from his personal crucible at Daddy’s gravesite and along lonely rows of cotton and sugar cane, Dale followed in his father’s footsteps. He set his sights on Jesus. He had the good sense to marry Cherie Vess in 1978 and, like his father before him, dedicated his home and family to God. Fingerprints? Oh, you bet. Dale has left fingerprints on his daughters, Evy and Ellen, and his son, Taylor.

Wilson Taylor Brooks

With two older sisters, Taylor was born the sole male twig to bear Daddy’s name for future generations. As smart and kind and good and Truth-and-family loving as his father and grandfathers before him, Taylor has established a home where Jesus is the heart, the dead center, of his family, and has shown himself to be worthy in every sense to wear his grandfather’s name. 

Wilson Beckett Brooks

All of which brings me back around to Taylor’s firstborn son, Beckett Brooks, and his camera. Check out Sarah’s Facebook post about Beckett’s latest gig as his church’s newest “official” photographer. Beckett’s love for God’s Word (and his mother’s fun-filled guidance) here. And the little boys he’s big brother to here. 

Blood Evidence

Oh … about that blood thing. Sure enough, I found blood evidence in my investigation. It’s called “bloodline” or DNA on Ancestry. But in the Bible, it’s the blood of the Lamb. I’m with Beckett on this one. Get out your camera, folks! It’s time to celebrate!

Hallelujah! Praise God for Jesus … Passover … Holy Week … Good Friday … and, best of all, Resurrection Sunday!

P.S. Thank the Lord for Beckett Brooks and his faith!

The post The Forensics of Faith (Sort of) appeared first on Linda Brooks Davis.

Let’s Chat! Author Delia Latham

Let’s Chat with Author Delia Latham
Delia Latham, Christian wife, mother, grandmother–and author!

Welcome, readers. You’re in for a treat this week. Author Delia Latham is stopping by for a chat. 

Settle in and enjoy! Make a comment, and you’re entered into a drawing for one of Delia’s ebooks.

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Welcome, Delia Latham

Thank you for joining us this week, Delia Latham. We’re so excited to get to know a bit about you and learn about your books. Thank you also for offering a give-away. 

Delia Latham’s Pre-Author Life
Farm Roots
Sunset Camp: Courtesy of Library of Congress

I was born and raised in a tiny California farming community called Weedpatch. Cute, huh? It’s located in the state’s agricultural heart, and at that time, was largely populated by immigrants who came through to work seasonal farming jobs. I lived about a mile from Sunset Camp, which was highlighted in John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath. He stayed there for a time while writing the book that would become a classic.

Faith & Family 

My family attended an extremely fundamentalist church pastored by my uncle, whom I loved with all my heart. He was one of the best, most godly men I’ve ever known…right alongside his brother—my dad. Although I’ve grown away from some of the tenets of that church, I still highly respect and appreciate the training I receive there, through both the church and the church-operated school I attended from 5th grade through high school.

At 16, I married the young man I’d had a crush on since I met him at age 11. Our first child came along nineteen months later. Like clockwork, a new baby arrived every two years after that until we had four distinct little individuals who filled my life…and my time to capacity. Now four grandchildren own my heart and bless my life. And I can send them home with their parents when I need quiet time.

Fingers in a Few Pies
Western: My singin’ days (Photo by Rodney Thornburg)

Over the years, I’ve been a newspaper staff writer, a transcriptionist, an office manager, a country western singer, and…a clown! And, in the words of Forrest Gump, ‘”That’s all I have to say about that.” ☺

Delia Latham’s Debut Experience

My very first book experience was a disaster. I submitted to a company I knew nothing about. It never occurred to me to research them. My bad! They accepted my book (along with 99% of every other book submitted to them), and I was over-the-moon delirious.

I do give that company high praise for wrapping my first “baby” in a gorgeous cover. When the finished product arrived, I was at work. My son brought a couple of the books to my job, because I simply couldn’t wait until I got home to see them. When he placed them in my hand, I laughed. A happy, excited mess, I cried and trembled from head to toe. My co-workers were wonderful. They made a big deal of that little book, and I will never forget the experience. It was surreal, to say the least.

Fast forward to a week or so later. At a friend’s gentle advice, I started researching my “publisher.” I discovered an endless number of the worst reviews I’d ever seen, accusations of illegal activities, and even lawsuits. Turned out, they were pretty much a glorified printing press. Being involved with them could be death to my writing career. Talk about devastated…I was crushed, and horribly embarrassed!

Insight from Delia Latham

Eventually, an expert in the publishing field guided me through getting free of that useless contract. I submitted the book to Pelican Book Group a few years later, and it got a fresh start. New cover, new title, new hope. Yesterday’s Promise will always be near and dear to my heart. I absorbed myself so completely in the characters and the story while I wrote. That fictional world became more real than the one I live in. Kinda scary, but also a wonderful experience. The story reflects that it was pulled from my heart and soul. So, despite its first shaky steps, the book wound up in good hands. A happy ending, just the way we sweet romance writers like all books to end.

Moral of the story: Do your homework. Wait for acceptance from an established publisher with an excellent reputation. (Click to Tweet That!) Save yourself a lot of heartache and embarrassment.

Delia Latham Today 
Coming April 28!

God’s been good. Since that false start, I’ve been blessed to have another fifteen novels and novellas accepted and published. I’m excited about Spring Raine, the most recent release which introduces a four-book series, all set in the beautiful seaside community of Cambria, California. The other three books will release later this year. I’ll also see the release of Oh, Baby, another “Heart’s Haven” novella on April 28 and a “Pure Amore” Christmas novel (release date pending).

A Perfect, Loving Father

Again, I repeat: God’s been good. He’s a perfect, loving Father.

He’s also an amazing Teacher, who shows me something new in every book we write. And yes, I said “we.” He’s the author. I’m His fingers on the keyboard, and His face to the world when our work is published.

Advice from Delia Latham

My first step in every writing project is prayer. I extend a personal invitation to the Author of Authors to write with me. He lends His expertise. Every inch the gentleman, He will not insert Himself uninvited into any part of our lives.

So, authors…invite Him. With God as chief writer and brainstorming partner, the resulting book will bless readers. And I guarantee you’ll come away with a nugget of God-given wisdom. It’s like a thank you card from the Lord. ☺

How to Find Delia and her Books

Links:

Website

Personal blog

Amazon Author Page

Facebook Reader Page

Twitter

Spring Raine

An uncharacteristic, last-minute decision to do something “wild and crazy” before entering the stressful world of forensic science sends Raine Presley to Cambria, California. Against a cloud of disapproval from her slightly manipulative, over-protective parents, she signs a seasonal lease at the beautiful Paradise Pines Lodge…and winds up over her head in life and love.

Declan Keller‘s just minding his own business—literally—when Raine drops into his world and turns it upside down. He’s far too busy carving beautiful shapes out of chunks of wood to be babysitting a gal from Pasadena. Even so, his father’s promise to an old friend obligates him, despite a looming deadline that could make or break his career in the art world. He’s praying for anything but Raine when she comes along.

Neither Declan nor Raine is prepared for the seemingly divine influence of Paradise Pines—and Miss Angelina Love. A mysterious lady who may or may not own the lodge, Miss Angie possesses an amazing talent for mending ruffled feathers, spouting proverbs, and somehow bending even the most determined of hearts to the power of love.

Delia Latham’s Biography

Writing Heaven’s touch into earthly tales, Delia Latham puts her characters through the fire of earthly trials to bring them out victorious by the hand of God, His heavenly messengers, and good, old-fashioned love. You’ll always find a touch of the divine in this author’s sweet tales of romance.

Delia lives in East Texas with her husband Johnny. She’s a Christian wife, mother, grandmother, sister, friend, and author of inspirational romance…with a finger or two immersed in the design pool, where she creates beautiful marketing material for other authors. Delia treasures her role as child of the King and heir to the throne of God. She’s got a “thing” for Dr. Pepper and loves hearing from readers.

~ ~ ~

Lord, we invite You to show us the work You have prepared for us to accomplish. We offer it back to You for Your purposes. How sweet of You to join us in our efforts. We give You all the credit.

~For Jesus’ sake 

For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. Deuteronomy 16:15

 

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Let’s Chat! Lighthouse Author Alfred Bates

Welcome, Friends!

Our guest author this week, Alfred W. Bates–also known as Al–wrote The Wickie, a novel set around a lighthouse on the Oregon coastline in the 1861. A storm tragically takes the life of assistant lighthouse keeper Wyatt Saunders and sets in motion events that forever change the lives of his family; the head keeper, Gus Crosby; and the new assistant keeper, Jesse Fayette. 

Gather ’round as we chat with this gentleman of gentlemen. Join the chat below, and you’re entered into a drawing for a signed copy of The Wickie.

~ ~ ~

Lighthouse Al Before Lighthouses

Born and reared in Ohio, I am the older of two siblings. Our parents were Alfred and Alice Bates. I worked with my father on the farm as a young boy. In later years, I worked for farmers in the summer to make money to buy my first car.

After graduating from high school in 1955, I married my high school sweetheart, Rose. We had two boys. Our younger son died at the age of twenty-six.

Service to Country

At the age of seventeen, I joined the Army National Guard and served forty-two years, retiring from the Army as Chief Warrant Officer CW4. I also worked Federal Civil Service and retired with thirty-one years service.

Retirement

After retirement, we sold our home in Arizona and began traveling this great country. Initially, we had not chosen any particular places to visit. Our goal was to just enjoy the sights and people we would meet along the way. One of our first destinations was to visit friends who had moved to Pennsylvania but were vacationing in New Jersey. They were entertaining their adult children on the day of our arrival and suggested we visit a lighthouse down the coast. We visited the lighthouse and got hooked.

Inspiration from a Lighthouse

This was the beginning of our joyous ten year trek of visiting lighthouses. We saw over 300. For two summers of those years, we enjoyed serving as tour guides at Umpqua River Lighthouse in Oregon where I gained more knowledge of lighthouses.

Due to Rose’s health, we ceased traveling after ten years and settled down in Texas. She died approximately two years later.

Inspiration to write my book, The Wickie, came while serving as the lighthouse tour guide. (Tweet That!) After learning historical events associated with the two Umpqua River Lighthouses, the work of the keepers, their families and lifestyle, I knew there were other people who would enjoy reading about those times. I titled my book The Wickie because the keepers in the old days nicknamed each other Wickie. They had to trim the wicks on the lantern to enable the light to burn bright.

The Wickie Debut Experience

I found it enjoyable, yet challenging, to collect data and pictures for use in The Wickie. I had written many letters and documents during my years of service and thought I knew how to write. But when I joined a writers group, I soon realized writing a novel is different.

My writing journey slowed with the death of my wife, but time passed and God gave me another chance at life. I met my second wife, Linda, in a local grief share program. She likewise is supportive of my writing.

After finally completing my manuscript, I chose a publisher in Oregon who worked with writers wanting to self publish. Their staff was very organized and carefully guided me through those unfamiliar publishing steps.

My first experience with transmitting an entire manuscript via the Internet was somewhat frightening. I soon adjusted, knowing my manuscript would become a book. I felt proud the day my books arrived at the house. All the stress and hard work I’d endured over the years finally paid off.

Insight and Looking Ahead

While looking at the stacks of books, I quickly realized those books wouldn’t sell themselves, and I would need the marketing materials I purchased with the publishing contract. Time has taught me self publishing is hard work and marketing the book is a challenge in itself.

Currently, I am writing a sequel to The Wickie. The working title is “Spirit of The Lighthouse.” Before starting the sequel, I took time to write a novella and a novelette to improve my writing.

A Final Note From Al

You can find me as Alfred W. Bates on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ovwoeo

Twitter: @awbates1955

And on my blog: http://AlsLighthouses.blogspot.com

Links to Amazon and Barnes and Nobel are listed on the blog for your convenience. Select the store of choice and enter The Wickie to purchase copies.

You may also purchase from me via email to: AWBates1955@gmail.com.

May you let your light shine to those around you.

~ ~ ~

Thank you for joining our circle this week, Al. What an honor it has been to share you with others. You’ve captured our imaginations. Can’t wait to read your book!

~ ~ ~

Lord, You order our days, even those that transpire in the deepest valleys of sorrow. You’ve done so in Al’s life, and we receive with gratitude the blessing of The Wickie, a story where Your light shines through darkness, pointing the way to You.

Jesus is Meaning. Without Him I’d be purposeless, rudderless, and joyless.

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The Name of Jesus

There’s just something about the name of Jesus, isn’t there?

I love how Bill and Gloria Gaither put it:

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus

… Like a fragrance after the rain

… Let all heaven and earth proclaim

Kings and kingdoms may all pass away

But there’s something about that name

© 1970 William J. Gaither, Inc. 

The ways He’s everything to me are limitless. Here are a few:

Jesus is God. Without Him I never could see God..
Meaning

He’s the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega. He’s where I’ve come from and where I’m going. Without Him I’d be purposeless, rudderless, and joyless. He is meaning. He is Light. Without Him I could see nothing at all.

 

Jesus is Beauty
The world would be formless, colorless, tasteless, and devoid of fragrance without Jesus.

He is Life

Without Him death would consume me.

I would starve without Him. Jesus is my eternity..

My Protector and Provider
Without Him I would be defenseless.

I would be lost without Him.

All Things to all Men From the Beginning For all Time

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it. 

6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

A Simple Prayer

Lord, there’s just something about Your Name. Jesu is the sweetest sound to our ears … taste to our tongues … and fragrance in all the world. We long for you. We praise you. And we speak yours, the sweetest Name in all the world with all the gratitude our hearts possess. Keep on our knees at Your feet.

~For Jesus sake

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Let’s Chat! Author Emily C Reynolds

Welcome to our chat, everyone!

Today we’re visiting with Emily Hendrickson (pen name Emily C. Reynolds), who writes romance with a comedic punch. Emily’s first novel, Picture Perfect, a story about overcoming bitterness, learning to forgive, and trusting God, released March 2, 2017.

Readers: Emily’s offering a give-away! Join our conversation below and you’ll be entered in the drawing for Picture Perfect. Announcement here and on Facebook on Tuesday, the 21st. 

A bit about author Emily C Reynolds
Emily C Reynolds

I grew up in a small town in southern Maine (not far from Kennebunkport). My dad pastors a quaint New England church, the kind with the white clapboard sides and tall steeple, exactly like you see on postcards. My parents founded the Christian school I graduated from, a Christ-centered ministry that’s operated for more than 30 years. I graduated from Gordon College in Massachusetts with degrees in English Language & Literature as well as Biblical Studies.

Wonderful things happen when a woman learns she can protect herself. Self-defense helps women develop confidence and inner strength on different fronts–like work, relationships, communication, setting boundaries.

I’ve earned my living as a professional wedding photographer, high school English teacher, newspaper copy editor, piano teacher, and women’s self-defense instructor.

My husband, an amazing guy, inspires my storybook heroes and is my biggest cheerleader on this journey.

A bit about Emily’s first book

Picture Perfect is a light-hearted novel about overcoming bitterness, trusting God, and opening your heart to the redemptive power of forgiveness. In this story, a photographer and a martial artist partner for swing dance lessons and become unknowingly pitted against each other in a real estate tug-of-war. As romance heats up, secrets from the past close in. Agendas collide, and when the truth comes out, one wrong move could trip them up for good.

The story grew out of bits and pieces of my real—and imaginary—life. For instance, the old country church I grew up in really does have bats in the belfry. (Tweet That!) So in the opening scene when the heroine is cleaning the church and has an unexpected encounter. Not too far of a stretch.

A bit about Emily’s challenges

The biggest challenge on my path to publication was twofold—not giving up and, well, not giving up. By that I mean not giving up on the dream of one day seeing my book in print, but also not giving up the fun of writing. Don’t let anyone fool you. Writing is hard. Many people don’t realize the years of labor involved.

I had no idea what I was doing when I first started writing, so Picture Perfect got completely revamped multiple times. Was it hard? Yes. Was it worth it? Yes! I loved learning how to plot a good story, and I absolutely love the result. But it took seven years to get to this point.

I am blessed to have a fantastic critique group that helps me hone my stories, and I have an amazingly dedicated agent, Linda Glaz of Hartline Literary Agency, who loves my “voice” and writing style and absolutely refused to give up until she found the right home for my stories at Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.

One of the best things I did for my professional development was joining American Christian Fiction Writers. I got connected to other writers, critique groups, and a storehouse of publishing information that I soaked up, realizing how little I really knew. I also attended ACFW conferences, which allowed me to network with writers, agents, and editors as well as take classes to help me learn more about the writing craft.

A bit of advice from author Emily C Reynolds

First, write what you enjoy writing. Remember that it is hard work, no question, but it needs to be enjoyable and fun. Otherwise it will become a burden.

Be kind to yourself! Everyone’s first draft is downright awful, so don’t let the ugly stop you. Keep going. Put the words down even if you cringe. As people say, you can’t edit what’s not there.

Accept who you are as a writer. I’m not a particularly fast writer. The story doesn’t unfold in a straightforward manner for me. I’m much more “seat of the pants” than plotter. So I have to constantly remind myself it’s okay that the course is not charted; that’s part of the fun. (I get to be surprised when a character says or does something). Only it’s not always fun. Sometimes it’s downright stressful. It means the story doesn’t journey in a straight line from start to finish. There will be detours and dead ends and “wasted” time. That’s just how it works for me. I can choose to get frustrated and think I’m less of a “real writer,” or I can accept that it’s the way I work.

Also, remember to maintain perspective. It can get easy to become obsessed and driven to meet certain goals. Try to keep foremost in your mind that it’s God’s timing, not yours. It’s not always easy to balance the writing life with “real world” life. Sacrifices have to be made. But be mindful of what you’re giving up and why—it’s important to have a balanced life. (My compromise was not watching TV or movies at night while my husband worked second shift. Instead, I used that time to write. I tried not to sacrifice family time.)

A final word from Emily

Thanks for letting me share a little about my writing journey! I hope you enjoy a few giggles and sigh moments reading Picture Perfect. I love to connect with readers. Find me on Facebook under Emily C Reynolds or at my web site www.EmilyCReynolds.com.

I’d especially like to thank Linda for inviting me to share a little of my journey today! Thanks for this opportunity to connect readers and writers!

How to find Emily C Reynolds and her book

Website: www.emilycreynolds.com

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2ntlN37

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2nt9iEK

Dear Heavenly Father, we pause to remember You as the Giver of Every Perfect Gift. Thank you for gifting Emily for the purposes for which You have set her apart. Make her writing an instrument of Your grace. For Jesus’ sake.

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1914: The Way We Were

1914 and Today

1914: The year my current work-in-progress–a sequel to The Calling of Ella McFarland–is set. (Tweet That!)

As an author of historical fiction, it goes without saying I enjoy most anything history-ish. In my research I’ve uncovered a bevy of facts, timelines, photographs, anecdotes, and personal commentaries about life in the second decade of the twentieth century. 

My Photo Album

These fascinating tidbits are gradually creating a snapshot collage of contrasts fit for You Are There, a 1950s television series hosted by Walter Cronkite. 

“New” sometimes amounts to little more than an update of the “old.” But at other times, the new-fangled can’t hold a candle to old-timer ways. 

The Great Divide

Bar none, two of the best stories I’ve read to illustrate the great divide between 1914 and today are these: The first comes from the October edition of The Rotarian; the second from the October 31st edition of Telephony: The American Telephone Journal.

“God created the first talking machine; Alexander Graham Bell the second. Bell lengthened woman’s tongue and raised her voice until mere man struggles in vain to escape her.”

“After two trials in the county court S.J. Fuller, a prominent Fort Worth lumberman, has been convicted under the state law which prohibits the use of profane or abusive language over the telephone and fined $5. (Tweet That!) It was charged the lumberman ‘cussed out’ the chief operator of the Rosedale exchange of the Southwestern Telegraph and Telephone Co. in Fort Worth when he was unable to get the connections wanted.” 

Political correctness didn’t exist in 1914.

1914 Families

The children of 1914 played with teddy bears, dolls, and cars. They stacked blocks, enjoyed tea parties, and went on imaginary safaris. 

My 21st-century grandchildren have done the same. But Barbie has little in common with the china-faced, stuffing-bodied doll of a century ago. 

How I would love to be a time traveler on a 1914 bus. I’d soak up my surroundings. Hairdos. Clothing. Dental work. And shoes.

For traveling comfort, hurrah for today! Care to take off for New York in a 1914 bi-plane?

I’d watch and listen for how people thought. I’d see it in their dress. Their manners. Their facial expressions. And their conversations.

Who were the 1914 Chatty Cathys? The hometown comedians? Were their conversations peppered with profanity or crude remarks? 

Ordinary Life: 1914 Style
Want to trade your smart phone camera for the 1914 version?

Fashion. Women’s high-necked, low-hemmed 1914 fashion reflected the early-twentieth century values of modesty and virtue. What does the all-but-naked fashion celebrated on red carpets say about modesty and virtue in 2017? (I would post an example, but, quite frankly, they’re shameful.) My grandmother’s dress reflected her view on virtue. Does mine?

Church attendance. 1914 folks knew where to find one another on Sunday morning. A community might boast paved streets, but churches would abound. Restaurants were few and far between, but Sunday dinner in friends’ homes was common. Today Sundays often consist of hunting, golfing, boating, football, TV, brunch–you name it–anything but church. My grandmother’s friends knew where to find her on Sunday mornings. Do mine?

Bedtime prayers. 1914 parents read to their children at bedtime and capped off the day with prayers.

I suspect more often than not children in 2017 go to sleep to something on an iPod, iPad, or tablet. What do your children and grandchildren expect at bedtime?

For family-friendly games, I’ll take 1914.

Entertainment. Parlor and lawn games were common in 1914. So were reading and singing around the piano. Teens interacted at church socials and taffy pulls.

1914 Life, 2017 Style

Today most children and teens go for YouTube, video games, blow-’em-up movies, or nothing more than to be left alone behind closed doors. When given the choice, do your children or grandchildren choose a board or video game? 

I’m intrigued by the lives former generations lived. I often wonder how I would have handled losing children to measles or polio. Would I serve my family bread everyday if I had to make it from scratch? Complain about the heat if I had never experienced air conditioning or the cold if I had to stoke a fire? Make it to church on Sunday if I had to hook up a team to a wagon and endure the hard wooden seat as we bounced over ruts? 

Would I have joined other women in a suffragette picket line?

Would I have worn a corset–or simply rebelled?

There’s a reason why the hobble skirts of 1914 were a passing fad. Eeeegads!

What sort of hat would I have chosen–an unadorned one that hugged my head or something outrageous with feathers and flowers and a stuffed bird or two? 

1914 … 2017 … or something in between? Honestly, when boiled down to their essences, love, family, friendship, and an-honest-dollar-for-an-honest-day’s-work have held their own. So has faith and its outworking in some quarters. Personally, I prefer taking what was good about life in 1914–like faith and love and devotion–and spit polish it for 2017.

And–absolutely, positively, bet-your-bottom-dollar sure–I’d keep cursing on the telephone against the law!

How about you?

P.S. Which would you choose? Pickup Sticks or Rubik’s Cube?

 

 

 

 

 

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born

for a time of adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

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